


Lost at Sea

by gebieterin



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Corporal Punishment, Gen, Kidnapping, Multi, Piratestuck, Shanghaiing, Slavery, sea rescue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-08-28 20:41:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16730271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gebieterin/pseuds/gebieterin
Summary: Sollux had been kidnapped by slavers, but he was lucky and their ship has been sunk - by the feared mertrolls.The other survivors are pulled under, but Sollux is lucky - he was spared and later fished out of the ocean by the crew of another, larger vessel.However, 'lucky' might not be word that first comes to mind when he meets the captain.





	1. Chapter 1

 

Sollux had never really liked the ocean. Still, there was something to be said for lazily drifting along on gently rocking waves, barely a care in the world ( _anymore, everything had gone to shit already)_.

Enjoying a brief moment of quiet. The screams had stopped when the other survivors were being pulled under, one by one, noises abruptly cut off or continued below, he had no way of knowing. He was a bit disgruntled that he had come to again, he had hoped not to, hoped for an easy way out.

He remembered a song some of the older ones in his village used to sing to the wigglers and youths to warn them away from the water.

 

_Once banned from all land_

_to dark waters bound_

_with own magic at hand_

_darkest power it found_

_Do not venture at night_

_to where the tides turn_

_caught in her pride_

_bound souls she will burn_

_pray that swift death_

_a small mercy bestow_

_pray to lose breath_

_for deep down below_

_unheard go your cries_

_unheard go your screams_

_for deep down there lies_

_the darkest of dreams_

 

The attack had come early at night, and from below, the least expected direction when you were on board a ship on a vast ocean with no enemy in sight.

Sollux had no idea what had exploded, or why, before the ship could sink, deceptively peaceful and all but undetected at first, from all the holes the attackers had silently torn into the hull to draw them all down below the surface. Maybe some crew member still had found the wherewithal to set fire to the meager gunpowder reserves.

 

Even though he still held a grudge for the ship's crew for making a business of selling captured lowblood psychics to the slave markets, they still had not earned this fate. He hoped that most of them would drown (still hoped the same for himself, really) before the Scourge could work her dark magic on them, make them hers forever, or until she tired of them (there were always stories, cautionary tales, remains found on the shores too twisted to have been whole some time before their demise). His grudge did not go deep enough to take joy in this crew's certain deaths and/or enslavement. Well, except for their captain, maybe. To him he wished a long life as the Scourge's new favourite plaything.

When one of the fishtrolls' sentries came for him, he was still reeling from the explosion, head ringing, bleeding profusely from some injury on his left temple. At first, he had thought he simply saw double due to a blow to the head, but this nightmarish tall and dark mercreature had really shared his own mutation of double horns. It was impressive on an adult, he had to admit that much. Terrifying, but still impressive, to see what he himself might have grown up to, had he been allowed to reach maturity.

The piece of debris he was floating on had tilted dangerously when a large arm pressed down on it, a nightmare from below curiously peering over the edge. Sollux could not will any muscle to counter gravity and basically rolled into the mertroll's arms.

„Awww shit, you're but a wiggler. She'd have way too much fun with a new toy like you.“

„No, _pleathe_...“ It had been just a whimper, and Sollux did not even know what he was asking for. Mercy? A swift death?

He thought he had gained both when the other had sighed under his breath, _„I hear you, little one“_ , and a cool hand, large enough to cover his whole head, cradled his face and zapped him out cold with a painful blast of psionics. The blackness had come too fast and all-encompassing to even scream.

„ _Hoy, anything still alive over there?“ - „That's what I just tested. If they did not scream at that, it should answer your question!“ - “Roll the body under, then!” - “Nah, just a shrimp, barely bite-sized, not worth dragging along.”_

 

~*~

Sollux had awoken panicked and hurting, nearly drowning himself by flailing off his makeshift raft. Only the fear what might still lurk under the surface had made him force protesting muscles to cling on and settle again. Then again, under the raft at least the sun would not have beaten down on him mercilessly. He had no way of knowing how long he had been drifting. The pain was bad, but the thirst was worse. He knew it was only a question of time until he would be delirious enough to drink the seawater around him, hurrying his demise along. Why cling to hope for a few hours more, endure the pain a little longer, if he could just roll into the blessedly cool water?

Only for the old saying, mertrolls will not surface under the sun.

He would have laughed, some time later, when the large galleon sent a small search party of some three sailors in a rowboat to inquire that strange piece of flotsam. He would have laughed for sure, had he still been conscious.

The mid- and lowblood trolls looked around nervously, because it was strange indeed to find someone still afloat without any other indication of a larger vessel still around. Every seafarer knew the horror stories about the Scourge's Anglers and the twisted games they sometimes liked to play with unsuspecting sailors. Their own brand of sea troll officers were a veritable peaceful delight in comparison. Which said something. Something horrible. Still, with the fire power of a larger vessel behind them, they should be relatively safe. Or at least those still aboard would be.

“Careful there, could still be a trap, some bait to lure us in!”

“The sonars said there is nothing unusual around.”

“Maybe they just did not look deep enough!” _Maybe they were not looking for anything that could consciously run an interference._

One of the younger sea dwellers on echo patrol chose this moment to pull himself up on the side of the spacious row boat, rocking it precariously. “I can take ye down with me an' ye can take a look for yerself?” he offered with a malicious grin.

When the sailors shook their heads in horror, he just told them to bring the boat nearer so they could transfer their new charge and bring them back to their captain.

 

Captain Ampora was pleased. “Well, let's hope he'll make it, and that the psionic dampers are not purely for decoration to increase resale value. Someone pry these open later, but put ours on him at once, we don't know how reliable these are.”

He turned to his guardsman, a tall indigo-blood in the getup of the cult of the Mirthful. “Makara, take him to the medical bay, and I want either you or Dorean with him until we know that he is safely contained.”

The cultist hoisted the limp rescue over one shoulder and laughed , and several crewmen took some steps back despite themselves. “You got it boss, but a brother doesn't think there is any need to loose your chill. Even the nurse could break that one in half if he gave her any trouble.” He poked at his unconscious burden with a gentle claw. “Weighs next to nothing. Little sack of bones, this one.”

 

~*~

At first, Sollux fought consciousness, because it meant new pain. Though blessedly his sunburned skin no longer felt like he was being roasted alive, the light was still bright and his head hurt somewhat fierce. The dull pain had developed a new piercing quality that felt as if someone repeatedly stabbed him with a needle through his temple.

“Hold him still, please, he's coming to and I want to finish suturing that gash first. Keep your eyes closed for now, sweetie, I use a bright lamp for sewing. And you have a concussion, so light is not your friend currently.” A female voice, soft small hands, sharp small needle.

With a small sound of protest, he made as if to squirm away, but larger hands easily held him still, gentle but inevitable.

“There, nearly done, you're very brave, good boy.”

A deeper voice huffed an amused breath. “You are aware that he is about sub-adult, his skin is already darkening, and he'd be taller than you, lanky as he might be. Not a freshly pupated wiggler.” Adult male, adult rumble. Sollux stilled, tense.

“Oh hush, you. I talk the same to each of you big babies when you get hurt. There, all done, you can let him go now.”

Sollux was relieved when the adult actually complied. He felt carefully for his psionics, but his psychic powers were still bound. He had still not completely gotten used to that sensation; it felt as if somehow one of his senses was missing, similar as if all his fingers were numb or he could not see clearly. However, instead of the painful clamps around his horns (which had resulted in a resounding and disorienting buzz), he now felt the cold pressure of a military standard issue collar and manacles. Nothing he could get out of on his own. Currently, there was no chain connecting the manacles, so he could at least move his arms freely. At least, if he could muster the strength. His head hurt, and he felt tired enough to sleep for a week.

He carefully blinked his eyes open.

The adult male cursed, carefully reaching out and gently pulling Sollux' solid colored, red and blue eyes a bit more open. Sollux cringed, but did not dare to squirm. The nurse, a small olive-blood by the colour of her eyes and new-adult by her dark skin, shushed the male pointedly. It would have amused Sollux how she lowered her gently once-corkscrewed horns at the much larger and broader full-adult with dangerously pointed horns that gently canted backwards, had the ingrained fear of older trolls not pinged him into an aborted flight reflex. Aborted because he could not convince his muscles to move, as it clashed with the 'keep still and appear inedible' the unfamiliar adult touching his face caused. The adult male just gave the nurse an amused snort and lowered his head to hers, touching their horns together for a brief moment, but let go of Sollux' face.

“Well, at least we can now tell the captain that the dampers were not purely for decoration. Lovely eyes, sweetie, we'll see about getting you some glasses soon.” The nurse sighed regretfully.

Glasses like the ones the adult male wore over not solidly colored, but too intense and light-green eyes.

“Yeah, kid, sorry about that - welcome to the navy and all that hoofbeast shit.”

Sollux could not make any sense of that, so he fell asleep again.


	2. Chapter 2

The nurse forbid for Sollux to move much until he could stay awake more than one hour at a time. Even then, he quickly grew bored and started needling her with questions as soon as he could concentrate enough, but only got evasive answers from her and the helmsman (which he learned the adult male called Dorean was). The captain's guardsman, Makara, a sub-adult like Sollux, curiously also visited now and then. At first, he was apprehensive of the painted cultist, but still found his company pleasant enough. He was a bit more forthcoming, but it also tended to gently steer him away from certain topics. This worried Sollux. Not as much as the card game called “Mirthful Martyr” which Makara tried to teach him, and which awarded him several bruised knuckles, but still.

The captain, when Sollux was allowed to meet him some days later when his head felt clearer, seemed less intimidating than he had worried based on the ship and what he had seen of the crew so far. For one thing, he was still pre-adult, though he seemed older to Sollux than he was himself. Near adult-molt, maybe, by the colouring in his eyes, which were framed by squared glasses. However, you never knew with sea dwellers. He could have sweeps on Sollux, the coldbloods were said to mature slower. Sollux wondered with curious surprise how he could command a crew that also had several full-grown adults enlisted, but eh, that's highbloods for you.

“Nice to finally meet you, and good to see you on your feet. You may address me as Captain Ampora.” Sollux nodded a respectful greeting. The captain nodded back, clearly amused.  
“What's your name and sign?” The captain sounded a bit absent, still engrossed in the writing of a document before him. It gave Sollux a brief moment to study him more closely when he normally was in the healthy habit of keeping his eyes down when faced with a member of any higher bloodcaste. He was fascinated to see actual earfins and even throat gills. He quickly averted his gaze back to the floor when the captain looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

“Captor. Thollukth Captor, Gemini”, Sollux stated timidly.

“I take it that is Sollux with an 's'.” Well, at least he did try not to laugh, even though he could not fight a little smile. Silently cursing his lisp, Sollux just nodded.

“Age?”

Sollux shrugged. “Should be between eight and nine.”

The captain threw him a quite doubtful glance at that, but still put it down on the paper. “You look thin for your age. We'll have to feed you a bit more before you molt.” He then turned the paper for Sollux to sign.

Sollux shrugged, it should still be about at least two full sweeps before he had to even begin to think about adult-molt, so nothing for that captain to worry about. While he accepted the feather, he did not sign the document at once but quickly skimmed the contents. It was a rescue report, stating his blood color, now also name, age, and sign, date and place (in coordinates, which told him nothing) and circumstances (that short list of injuries read less impressive than it felt) under which he was taken on board. He cursed inwardly when he read 'status, psychic: psion, confirmed', but at least his level still was marked as unknown. Maybe the slave traders had done him a favour by putting dampers on him and he would still be able to downplay his abilities. The captain tapped a claw to the report with slight impatience. As Sollux could not see any dangerous wording and the report just stated his signature for confirmation, he put his name down in careful print. The captain nodded and signed off too with a flourish.

“So at least you learned how to read and write.” Before Sollux could decide whether or not to take offense in the condescending approval, he already continued. “How high would you describe your psionic level? I am rather relieved you survived. We can really use another helmsman.”

Sollux swallowed. While helmsman was on the top of his list of possible employments, that was his 'to AVOID' list.   
“I don't know, okay? Compared to what?” He was trying to stall, and by the less than impressed look the captain shot him, he knew, too. Sollux swallowed. ”And I really do not want to be thtrung up to helm your imperial boat tho you can hunt pirateth or deliver thpice fathter or whatever you do.”

“You are aware that most helmsmen on the fleet work in shifts in this enlightened day and age? Unfortunately, we lost our second psion several months ago in a fight, and did not find a replacement so far, for a vessel of our size. It has been taking a toll on our primary, slowing us down quite noticeable. But you still do not need to fear to be chained to a helm's rig. Of course, you will be expected to take over other duties, too, but you'll learn the ropes around here fast enough.”

“Well, great, but thtill no!” He had not wanted to raise his voice, but here the captain was already planning him into the crew without his input. Did the man even listen to word Sollux was saying? And it was not lost on Sollux that only 'most' helmsmen were no longer fixture.

“Why ever the hell not? And to be quite frank, what makes you think you have any choice in that matter?” The captains sounded irritated, which made Sollux wince, but still bravely soldier on. He wouldn't be cowed into service by some entitled highblood!

“Becauthe I am not your fucking property!” Okay, now he was past 'raised voice' and fast approaching yelling.

“Like it or not, but basically yes, you are”, the captain snarled and stood up, looming menacingly. Maybe he was a bit taller than Sollux had thought.

Sollux recoiled, confused. “Why would you think that? Do you really think it okay for any highblood to jutht drag another troll away and enlitht them for thervice on their ship?! In which univerthe ith that different from slavery?” Sollux drew a shuddering breath, did the captain really not understand that? Had he escaped the slaver ship and the Angler's only to still land in another kind of slavery? That seemed so unfair. He tried to reason.  
“I am grateful for the rethcue and more than willing to work for pathage, but you cannot ecthpect me to thtay once we reach shore again!”

“Basically, and let me put this in simple words for you, what I fish out of the ocean is mine, as long as it's lower than of purple hemocaste! Even then, bargaining has to be done. How do you think I managed to steal my bodyguard away from the Mirthful? Turns out few of them know how to swim.” Captain Ampora looked entirely too sure of himself for Sollux' liking.

“Wait, whath it that document I jutht thigned?! I thought it wath a thimple rethcue report!”

The captain shook his head incredulously. Still, he spoke gently and slowly, as if stating the obvious to a wiggler.  
“That is just a formality. It also confirms valuables lifted from the sea, i. e., you. Your signature is not even necessary, any higher blooded witness could have signed instead. It also assures a certain amount of safety to you by legally binding you to myself.”

Sollux sputtered, but the captain only raised a hand.

“Now, be reasonable. Even if you were to disembark at the next port, what do you think would happen the very moment someone got wind of your psionic abilities? You're just a lowblood, not to sound cruel, but with your powers manifested, you'd most likely be captured and sold into actual slavery before you would even reach your old home! Or what should keep about any officer of the empire from forcefully enlisting you, which may just amount to the same thing? How did you even grow up to nearly reach adulthood without being snatched away? Where have you grown up to form such sheltered believes? ”

“That ith none of your fucking business! You cannot jutht press me into hire when I already clearly denied your 'generouth offer'. ”

Captain Ampora took a calming breath. “I do mean well, but you lowbloods tend to be so diffcult about these things.” He shook his head regretfully. “The fact which remains is, yes, I can. If not by status alone, then by the means of our meeting.” He still tried to talk calmly. “I am even ready to make a small concession. My offer of you being treated like a hired man still remains. Otherwise, stay in status as a slave. However, stay you will.” He softened his demeanor to let his concern show. “That is the only way I can see to protect you. Even enlisted, you would still be in danger once my superiors find out about your powers. And they will, I have no illusion about not having at least one of their spies among this crew. Even low-level psions are a valuable commodity. Listing you, a yellowblood, as a belonging, at least on paper, will give me lot more power of bargaining if push comes to shove. It will be for your own good.”

“For my own - “ Sollux was reeling between anger and nauseating fear. He let himself meet the captain's eyes to be sure that he meant what he had just said. He could not really mean to imply that Sollux had no say in that matter? He had always known that his status as a member of a lower blood caste came with certain drawbacks, but this seemed a bit extreme. Angry tears pricked at his eyes, but he absolutely refused to let them fall.  
“Do you really think I will agree to any of thith calmly? I would make your life a living hell, fighting you at every opportunity! Even more tho when you get me out of the damned pthychic damperth!” Which, of course, would be necessary for any kind of helmswork.

Anger flashed over Ampora's face at the blatant refusal and threat, even. “And just who do you think you are, talkin' to your captain like that?” Sollux began to suspect that his accent slipping did not mean anything positive, but still refused to let himself be scared.  
“Let me tell you, I make no habit of lettin' my subordinates talk back like that. They might give me some lip, yes, but still will heed my commands and behave in a respectful manner!”

Sollux latched onto that, thinking he had finally found a way to make the captain see his point. “Well maybe I'm talking back to you like that becauthe I am NOT one of your men, I am NOT part of your crew, which would make you NOT my captain?!” He stared at the captain angrily.

“Well, then it seems about time you learned your place - and some fuckin' discipline!”

With two angry strides and a cold hand on his captive's neck, the captain had Sollux bent over the spacious writing desk. Sollux' breath hitched in fear. He should have known, he should have listened, he should keep still, that had made it marginally easier when the other captain – but he couldn't, not when the other made to yank at his threadbare pants -

“Nonono pleathe don't - _don't touch me_!” He had no conscious recollection how he managed to get enough leverage from his position to shove the heavier troll back while twisting from under him and backing up against the wall, but he had a sick feeling that he would be made to pay for it. Much to his shocked surprise, the collar binding his psionics had hummed to life, forming a sort of leash from collar to manacles with his own harnessed powers. It did not help with the headache he still nursed from his concussion.

The captain, however, looked more confused than angry. Maybe even a bit nauseated. “Something tells me this would be an extreme reaction if you were only afraid of a simple beating. Be assured that I did not intend to issue any... more concupiscent threat.”

Sollux blushed angrily, because it was clear that the captain was quite taken aback by the fearful defensive stance and the panic on his face and had seen this expression before, and that it told him more than he had wanted to know. He harboured the dark wish that the slaver captain had found a fitting fate undersea.

“A thimple be-... you mean you didn't intend to... “ He relaxed with relief, but also still felt irritated suspicion. “And what do you mean, a beating, why the fuck would you try and beat me?!” He stared at the captain with incredulously widened eyes, which he though made Ampora nearly relent. However, Sollux knew when sympathy gave way to a grim determination that settled on the captain's features.

“Disrespect, disobedience, outright threatening me, why don't you pick one?”

“You can't be theriouth!”

“I most assuredly am.” The captain advanced slowly, and Sollux backed away some steps.

“Tho you what, bathically tell me I'm your property now becauthe you did me the courtethy of not letting me drown, and ecthpect me to agree without dithcussion, becauthe otherwithe you'll try and beat me into submission?!”

Ampora nodded thoughfully. “It does sound harsh when you put it like that, but that's about right, yes.”

For once at a loss for words, Sollux just gave a very uncivilized snarl. He was rather embarrassed by it, but it was so worth the scandalized gasp from the captain.

“Well, I say! What are you, a feral? Do I have to teach you manners along with some discipline?”

If Sollux had not been so enraged, he would have laughed at the other's shocked tone. Sea dwellers always liked to play at being the most civilized. How it was possible to reconcile that conviction with the acceptance of inequality and outright slavery, Sollux could not wrap his mind around.

“You won't teach me anything!” he growled around clenched, and very much bared, teeth.

The captain's determination did not waver. “I am really growing tired of your insolence. However, I understand that this situation is not easy for you. Therefore, I'll give this one chance to apologize. Then we can discuss your duties on board like civilized trolls.” He looked at Sollux expectantly.

Sollux just sneered and made a very anatomically inaccurate assumption about the sea dweller and his lusus. It was childish, but the captain's continued refusal to take his concerns serious made him unreasonably angry. He took a certain satisfaction when the other blushed a healthy violet before blanching again. While he had fully expected an attack, what he had not factored in was the proximity of the wall behind his back. He cursed silently when his retreat was cut painfully short. With his hands still bound effectively in front of his chest, he was not mobile enough to dodge to the side fast enough to avoid a resounding slap to the face. He glared up at the captain reproachfully, but was met with an angry glare to rival his own.

With a push to Sollux' back, Ampora propelled him back into the general vicinity of his writing desk. Much to Sollux' surprise, the collar and manacles fizzed out then, freeing his hands again and diminishing his headache considerably. A quick look over his shoulder confirmed that the captain had some kind of remote key for the psychic dampers. Figured. He was well and truly fucked if Ampora could use his own powers to bind him at will, while he could not draw on these at all.

The captain was still fighting for composure. “I see you insist on being unreasonable. That is unfortunate.”

He did not approach Sollux at once, but opened a small cabinet to the side, withdrawing a slender cane. Sollux gave an incredulous huff and shook his head when Ampora pointed him towards the desk.

With a deep breath, the captain schooled his features from angry to relatively neutral again. “Please do not be difficult about this and put your hands on the table. I assure you, I do not take any pleasure in this.” He crossed his arms expectantly. “I do, however, have other measures at my disposal should you continue to disobey me.”

Sollux turned to face him, not really threatening, but very much still glaring and not complying with his orders. “Now here'th a threat that maketh me curiouth. Whatever will you do? Have your guardthman hold me down?”

A quick smirk crossed Ampora's face, as if the thought was patently ridiculous. “Do not give me ideas. I am sure that with his training, he would have you docile and compliant within one morning. If maybe not completely sane anymore.” He shook his head, indicating the controller for the psychic dampers. “I rather meant this.”

Sollux just shrugged. He did not see how having his wrists bound again would be any worse than voluntarily taking a beating, notwithstanding the headache. Ampora nodded regretfully and pushed a button.

Sollux suddenly found himself on his knees, crying out, as his own psychic energy was turned painfully against him. It was over again almost instantly, but still left him gasping.

“Wow. Unfair”, he managed after a moment, but his voice was as shaky as he felt.

Ampora actually looked a bit guilty and offered him a hand up. Sollux was not too proud to accept the help, but kept his eyes nervously on the triggering device.

“Any other fun detailth I should know about?” he asked.

“No, that's about it. The settings can be changed, though. It can shock you whenever you try to draw on your powers, what is currently set to 'binding'.”

Sollux was surprised to see that Ampora looked thoughtfully at the little device, like it was a disgusting insect.

“One thing more, maybe.”

Sollux was morbidly curious and nodded in question.

“That was the lowest setting.”

Even though it was uttered nearly apologetically, Sollux felt behind himself for the desk so he could sit down for a moment. He crossed his arms and pressed two fingers to his eyebrows to try and contain the headache from turning into a full on migraine.

“Are you fucking kidding me.” Sollux felt as close to tears as he did to hysterical laughter. He was undecided between the two, which was the only thing that kept him with a semblance of control.


	3. Chapter 3

“Well?”

The prompt was sobering, and if the captain sounded as unenthusiastic as Sollux felt about the prospect of beating him, it was a small consolation.

Sollux took a moment to weigh his options. With a hollow laugh, he shot the captain a questioning look.

“I gueth we are patht the point where that apology would thtill apply?”

Ampora gave a surprised snort, but Sollux thought he might have looked a bit relieved.

“If you mean it, and are ready to accept your place in the crew. That means obeying orders. Without any backtalk.”

Sollux had to bite his lip to clamp down on the hysterical laughter that wanted to bubble up.

“Yeah, I really do not thee that happening.”

Faking submission was a skill he had yet to learn.

The disappointed little groan Ampora gave would have been endearing, had Sollux not reminded himself that this was the captain who basically wanted to enslave him and was about to punish him because he objected to it. It let the smile that might have crept up on him effectively die on his face.

Ampora shook his head regretfully.

“I appreciate your honesty; you could have just lied. Then again, I'm pretty sure it would have just postponed this.”

Sollux nodded solemnly and let himself be directed to place his hands on the table. If he felt apprehensive, it was understandable. Even if not yet a full-adult, the captain was still a highblood, therefore liable to be stronger. Much to Sollux' relief, at least Ampora did not demand for him to drop his pants.

He also had the impression that the captain was holding back. Not that Sollux had much experience in being caned, but he would have thought it worse.

He would not say that it was not painful, but what was worse was that it felt humiliating, letting himself be beaten without putting up a fight.

It did not much to alter his attitude towards his situation, other than making him even more recalcitrant towards the captain. He would not meet Ampora's eyes when the captain was done with him and yelled for his guardsman to hand Sollux over to him to show him around the ship.

 

“You okay, little brother? You two were yelling somewhat fierce. Capt'n wasn't too harsh on you?” What Sollux could see of the cultist's face under his paint seemed worried. Sollux eyed him thoughtfully, not sure whether he really had not been aware of what the captain had wanted to 'discuss' with Sollux.

“Gamzee? You did not exactly give me clear replies when I asked about the ship before...”

“Yah, because you were concussed three ways to seaside, and Nurse would have hurt this brother for agitating you!”

Even through his gloom, the thought of the seemingly gentle nurse threatening a purpleblood amused Sollux.

“... but can I athk you for more information now?”

A slow and curious blink was all he got in answer, which Sollux took as consent.

“Ampora... the captain, he implied that you, too, aren't on board completely voluntarily?”

“Ah, it's embarrassing, really. This brother did not heed his teacher's warnings about the big waters and got drifted off. At least, Messiahs were amused enough, not drowned, nor pulled under. Capt'n fished me out, same as you.”

Sollux gave a bitter laugh. “Thame? He managed to bathically enthlave a purpleblood? You'll forgive me if I'm thceptic about that.”

“What?” Gamzee looked confused. “No, little brother, the captain made a contract with this brother, all negotiated. I even bargained him down to serving here for two sweeps.”  
  
Sollux stared at him incredulously. “And he will let you go then?”

The grin that split the painted mask looked slightly alarming, and not only because of the long canines it revealed.   
“He better. My high priest would not take it kindly if he tried to keep this brother longer – not unless I would want to stay.” He looked down at Sollux and asked, “Did you two not agree on a time frame? That what the yelling was about?”

Sollux smiled sadly. “Gamzee, there ith not timeframe for me. The captain bathically informed me that I am hith property now.”

The cultist stopped short. “What.”

Sollux only nodded. He was gnawing at his lips and did not dare to answer out loud for fear of bursting into tears. The whole situation was quickly becoming overwhelming.

“But why would he-” A worried look crossed Gamzee's features. “It's about that caste-thinking he's got all up in his pan, ain't it? Saw the miracle gold you got in your veins and thinks himself better for all his blood runs colder?”

Sollux was baffled. Gamzee himself was nearly as highblooded as it got.

“The Mirthful don't follow the hemocathte thythtem, then?” he asked carefully and shrunk back a little when Gamzee let out honking laugh.

“Nah, little brother, most, not so much. Though some chapters are elitist like that and say lowbloods are not worthy to be anything but sacrifice. And it is mostly unheard of, lowbloods participating in the carnival other than as sacrifice, what with the chuckle-voodoos involved. Ask any believer, it's all those who don't follow the Messiahs and celebrate the carnival are thought filthy heretics.”

Sollux tried to put a bit more distance between himself and the cultist, which gained him an amused huff.

“No fear, I'm not out to up and purge that whole crew all by my own self.” He shook his head with a laugh. “They be a nice bunch of filthy heretics.”

~*~

It was already on the next day that the captain expected Sollux to start pulling his weight in the crew. Sollux was a bit apprehensive when he was dragged along towards the helm, and hoped today was just for orientation.

“Meet our primary helmsman, Tamask Dorean.”

“We already met.” Sollux nodded a greeting to the greenblooded adult who had already talked to him when he first was taken aboard.

Dorean, who had been sorting throught cables and equipment, gave the captain an only slightly mocking salute. To Sollux suprise, Ampora just laughed. He seemed more relaxed around the crewman than he had been with Sollux alone.

“Well, then I'll entrust the further explications and necessary preparations to you.” He shot Sollux a warning glance and handed the key-remote for the psychic damper to the greenblood. “If he gets too cheeky, you have leave to discipline him as you see fit.” 

Sollux just glowered back at him.

The helmsman cleared his throat. “I do hardly think that this will be necessary. I'll just explain the processes today, no need to rig him up unprepared.”

“That's your area of expertise. Just give the key back to myself or Makara when you're done with him for today.” The captain shrugged and returned to whatever duties awaited him.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment when the captain had left.

Sollux sighed. “Tho, that's what you meant when you thaid 'welcome to the navy'. And why neither of you really wanted to give me any clear reply at firtht.”

Dorean laughed. “Well, that, and the crew takes their betting pools very seriously. We wouldn't want to be accused of throwing any bets.”

Sollux raised an eyebrow in question.

“Well, for example, no one wanted to give you any incentive to jump over board.”

Sollux snorted. “Do people actually try that.”

“Oh, you'd be surprised.”

Given the small smile on the adult's face, Sollux decided to take this as a joke. “Any chanthe that you'd accidentally disable the damper and let me ethcape?”

The older psion sobered a bit. “Even if I were to, then what? There is no way you'd be able to hide on-board on your own until we reach shore. And no”, he held up a hand to forestall any question, “I will not endanger myself or my companions by trying to hide you. Trust me, you _would_ be found. But honestly, you could have landed with a worse captain than with this Ampora, Eridan.”

“With thith Ampora? Are there more?”

“He is clade with Dualscar and Cronus Ampora.”

“Dualthcar?!” Sollux shuddered. “Are you telling me captain Ampora ith a dethendant of the Thcourge'th very own old Orphaner?! The new empretheth' High Admiral motht people jutht wait to turn traitor for the old Condethenthe?” He was shocked enough not to mind and try to avoid an overabundance of sibilants.

“Yep, that very one. And our captain had the dubious honor of being victim of the affectation some highbloods have, searching out their descendants and raising them themselves. Just like many of the crew had the dubious honor to serve under either older Ampora before.”

Sollux regarded him with horrified awe, but Dorean shook his head. “No, most won't talk about that time. But you might notice many share similar scars.” The grim set of his jaws told Sollux that this was all information he would volunteer on that topic.

On the topic of the helm, however, he volunteered much more information. More than Sollux ever wanted to know, really. He even showed him the setup of a modern rig-harness and the respective wires and how they would connect, which had Sollux nearly flee, until a laughing Dorean explained that the bioware was smaller for sub-adults. Still, it was enough that Sollux was pale and jittery when they sat together afterwards. Even though Dorean had taken great care to explain everything as mechanically and dispassionate as possible, he'd had to physically restrain Sollux from simply storming off more than once.

“Really, it is just the first installation which is the most painful. If prepared right, you can get dosed up on soporifics on beforehand, which should make it more bearable.”

Sollux looked at him doubtfully. “Did it help? Back when you firtht connected?”

A shadow of old pain briefly darkened the adult's face. “Let us just say that the captain that had me first installed did not think this kind of consideration necessary.”

Sollux winced and gratefully accepted a cup with a faintly alcoholic smelling beverage. He did not care in the least what it was.

The older psion gave a mock-happy toast with his own cup. “But it gets much easier after the initial setup.”

“There are wireth and needleth burrowing into your neural network every time you connect! How ith that not painful?!”

“Oh, I didn't say it was not painful, I just said the initial setup is the worst.” He smiled sympathetically at the younger. “When you bear in mind that the alternative is a 'full-time designation', which basically means spending your whole time in a much more sophisticated rig – it really trumps the alternative.” He regarded Sollux fondly. “Go on. I won't think less of you if you want to cry or rant for a bit.”

In the end, Sollux did both.

 

Later, towards the captain, he kept it at the ranting at first, trying to make very clear that he did not wish to get more intimately acquainted with the helms-work equipment. Unfortunately, the captain made it very clear that, while his voluntary cooperation would be appreciated, it was not completely necessary.

At some level, Sollux even believed that the captain did not enjoy trying to beat the rebellious attitude out of him. Still, that did not mean that he did not try.

 

Given the choice to get more acquainted with the helm equipment either with or without drugs in his system made Sollux partake in the use of soporifics for the first time he could remember. It left him pleasantly buzzy and docile, and he surely only imagined Gamzee jokingly proposing to keep him on a steady dose when he had handed him over to the helmsman.

It did not seem so too bad – at first. The sting and slight burn was not worse or more nauseating than the mere thought of the bone-needle-tapered living wire burrowing into his biology. However, the deeper the tendrils reached, the more unbearable it became, and when the bioware found the respective nerve endings they wanted to lay open for connection, each point became an immediate, excruciating, unrelenting pain that simply shut down the ability to do anything, except scream. All mental discipline simply did no longer work. He jerked in the harness, unable to avoid the tendrils reaching for still more points, had long lost count which had already connected and which still had to do their gruesome work. He was dimly aware of and grateful for the adult bracing him, setting a calming hand between his horns, and at the same time hated him for putting him through this ordeal, even though he knew there was little choice for either of them.

It was with a sober practicability the adult helmsman carefully checked each connection before carefully removing the respective tendril and capping their sharp ends with appropriate hulls. These would stay in place now, keyed to the new recruit, for faster connection upon the next time.

The soporifics did not seem to help much other that they kept Sollux from fainting. Combined with the adrenaline rushing through his veins from the pain and fear he had just been submitted to, he was not yet in total control of his own mental faculties again. Therefore, it took him just as much by surprise as the older psion when Sollux used his psychic powers to throw the adult off and back, all but ripping himself out of the rig-harness and stomping off without a clear aim apart from ' _get away_ '.

 

~*~

 

“You cannot make me! I would rather jump overboard!”

The deckhands whistled, and several betting pools were established. Sollux shot them angry looks while furtively wiping at the thin traces of blood still running over his face and bare upper body.

“Now, let's not be dramatic.” The adult helmsman took great care to look as non-threatening as possible, advancing calmly and carefully, but Sollux still retreated at least two steps for every one step he took towards him.

“But I mean it!” More money went into different betting pools.

The helmsman rolled his eyes. “You might think that now. But you'll get used to it. The initial drilling of the bioware and nerve connection is the worst part. You knew that, we talked about it before, and now you already got through with it. The rest will be easy.”

Sollux could already feel his resolve crumbling. He knew it would be just a matter of moments now until Dorean deemed him calmed down enough to gently steer him away and continue with the necessary procedures.

“What is it now, Dorean?” Both psions wheeled around to see the captain stride purposefully into their direction. Dorean cursed under his breath. “Well, there goes 'convincing the boy to continue should be easy now'”, he hissed at Sollux. Towards their captain, he stated calmly, “Nothing, captain. Just some slight difficulties in adapting. Nothing unexpected.”

The heckling deckhands would not see their betting pools go to waste. “Lil' sack'o'bones said 'e'd rather jump than take the rig again!”, someone yelled helpfully. A deathly glare from a psion could be quite literal, but the current helmsman only shocked a yelp out of someone in the back. However, the damage was already done.

“Did he, now.”

Sollux already had the ship's rail in his back and could not retreat any further when the captain advanced with a shark-like grin.

“Well, don't just stand there, gentlemen. Give the boy some help.”

Sollux' hands tightened around the rail, nervous sparks dancing around him. The captain's grin got downright sinister.

“Lower the fuckin' plank.”

Sollux swallowed hard. He did not really think this through. While he currently had free reign of his psionics, he was not sure what use fighting might be on the middle of the fucking ocean, basically surrounded by the enemy. The crew would surely not take too kindly to him taking out the captain and some others, if only temporary. Even Gamzee, now more in his role as the captain's guardsman, watched him attentively with eyes now tinged a pronounced purplish indigo, and Sollux could already feel the first prickles of the other's power coil lazily, but ready to strike.

 

The adult psion looked mildly perturbed. “Come on, captain, he is hopped on soporifics, terrified and in pain, and I just had him calmed down again. Do you really have to make a spectacle out of it.” Even though Sollux was not to flattered to be talked about like a child, he was still grateful that Dorean spoke out for him.

“He wants to jump, so jump he will.” Ampora sounded nearly cheerful. Sollux swallowed; he had thought that psions being valuable would award him some more protection.

If Dorean growled something about stupidity of sub-adults and wasting time, he did so quietly enough for the captain to choose to ignore it.

 

Sollux felt betrayed, to put it mildly, that the deckhands actually _did_ lower the plank at the captain's behest, and that none of them but their helmsman even looked slightly worried for him, not even the clown cultist. That no one else spoke out for him irked him. On the contrary, they were jesting, and he could observe new bets being made. While he had not spent much time getting to know the crew so far (a fact which he might regret in this moment, looking futilely for some kind of assistance), he would not have thought that they wanted to get rid of him so badly. Some even drew weapons to shoo him away from the rail, even though there was a nearly playful attitude to it and no one outright threatened physical harm as long as he moved. He wondered idly who would win the betting pools, but had more pressing concerns when he was herded towards the plank.

Briefly, he thought about recanting and pondered whether he was ready to beg for his life. However, he was currently angry and afraid and of course stubborn enough not to care much what happened, as long as he would not have to return to the helmsman's rig. With a defiant set to jaw, he set foot on the plank.

Already after the first step on the wobbly narrow flat wood, he knew that he would not be able to go through with it voluntarily. He turned back toward the deck with a beseeching look and was surprised to see that the captain had removed his boots and coat and stood ready to chase him back toward the open sea.

Sollux tried very hard not to let the crew's good-natured jeering get to him too much, but concentrated on Ampora, who had now stepped up on the plank after him, making the narrow wood wobble more precariously. With a grimace, Sollux tried to counterbalance the movement while scooting backwards. He did not have any room to avoid the captain, should he attack, and the further he got away from the deck, the more unstable his footing became on the wobbling wood.

Mentally slapping his hand to his forehead, his horns flickered to life and he used his psionics to balance himself, creating an aura of red and blue sparks. When someone had the nerve to call out “Oy, no cheatin'!”, he would have shot a spark towards the voice – had not the captain used this moment of distraction to push him over the edge.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the breathtaking fanart by SybLaTorture (while much of her lovely fanart fell victim to the tumblr purge, you can still find their work here on AO3 or on deviantart!)
> 
> \---  
> I am not yet completely sure where I am going with this, so the warnings and/or tags might be changed and added to, respectively.


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